Eurasia Press & News
(PNN) – The Israeli High Court is scrutinizing a ruling in the shooting case of Ashraf Abu Rahma. Israeli forces shot him in western Ramallah’s Nal’in Village, a town active in the nonviolent resistance against the Wall. He was blindfolded and handcuffed when an Israeli soldier shot him at point blank range. Abu Rahma was being held at the time by other soldier.
There is no doubt as to exactly what happened on 7 July 2008 during a nonviolent Palestinian demonstration against the Wall. The shooting was filmed by a 17 year old girl. Israeli forces then arrested her father who spent two months in Israeli prison. He has just been released.
What a judge in the Israeli High Court is now asking is why the first judge simply charge the soldiers with “unbecoming behavior.â€
The petition to the court to look into the case again was submitted by B’Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights, and the Public Committee Against Torture which are all Israeli organizations. Several lawyers are also involved.
The petition highly criticized the light ruling and the Prosecutor-General, “The choice of such a minor crime shows negligence…and will create the ground for similar acts.â€
Attached to the petition are several complaints against the specific commander under which these soldiers work, showing several cases of abuse toward detainees and civilians.
